Laundry separator

ABSTRACT

A multi-compartment laundry storage device is of drum-like configuration and has rotatable elements which close the sides of the device and which define the compartments. The rotatable elements may be rotated to selectively expose the compartments individually through a door in the top of a stationary peripheral drum. The multiple compartments are defined by divider panels which may be manipulated to adjust the size of each compartment.

United States Patent [191 Polakoff Mar. 12, 1974 LAUNDRY SEPARATOR [76]Inventor: Louis Polakoff, 1850 NE. 186 St.,

North Miami Beach, Fla. 33162 221 Filed: June 8,1972

21 Appl. No.: 260,918

[52] US. Cl. 220/22.3, 312/252 [51] Int. Cl B65d 25/06 [58] Field ofSearch 220/1 T, 20, 22, 22.1, 220/22.2, 22.3; 211/131; 3l2/97.l, 202,252, 305

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,447,602 8/1948 Shelley312/252 2.214993 9/1940 Dewitt 220/20 2,371,917 3/1945 Rosenberg 211/1313/l969 Tenpas ..220/22 3/1973 Cypher ..220/22.3

Primary 'ExaminerGeorge E. Lowrance Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wolf,Greenfield & Sacks [S 7] ABSTRACT A multi-compartment laundry storagedevice is of drum-like configuration and has rotatable elements whichclose the sides of the device and which define the compartments. Therotatable elements may be rotated to selectively expose the compartmentsindividually through a door in the top of a stationary peripheral drum.The multiple compartments are defined by divider panels which may bemanipulated to adjust the size of each compartment,

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures LAUNDRY SEPARATOR BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The storage device is of drum-likeconfiguration having a circular peripheral drum which is fixed firmly toa stand. The sides of the drum are enclosed by a pair of spaced circularside discs which receive the side edges of the drum within circulargrooves formed in the discs. The side discs may also be supported forrotation along the central axis of the device. A plurality of radiallyextending divider panels are supported between the spaced side discs todefine the interior compartments. Means are provided to releasablysecure the divider panels to the side discs. This enables the dividerpanels to be adjusted in their angular relation to the side discs and toeach other, and also provides the means for securing the side discsanddivider panels together. A door is provided at the top of thecircular drum to provide access to the interior of each of thecompartments as they are rotated past the door.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved devicefor storing laundry and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a storage device of thetype described which is adapted to maintain a plurality of articles inseparate stored relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed in which the dimensions of the storage compartments may bevaried to accommodate different quantities of different goods.

DESCRIPTIONYOF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects andadvantages of the invention will be understood more fully from thefollowing detailed description thereof, with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the device partly broken away;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section of the device as seen along the line 3-3;and I FIG. 4 is a view of the edge of a divider panel as seen along theline 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings, thedevice includes a supporting frame, indicated generally by the referencecharacter 10. The frame 10, which may be made out of an appropriatematerial such as metal, includes a lower rectangular base 12 and mayalso include a pair of upwardly extending supports 14. The deviceincludes a circular drum 16, which is secured firmly to the lower baseportion 12 of the frame 10, as by posts 18 or bolts which are fastenedto a cross bar 20 in the base 12 and which extend upwardly therefrom.The upper ends of the posts 18 are secured to the lower region of thedrum 16. The upper region of the drum I6 is formed to define an accessdoor 22 which may be opened or closed about the hinge 24. Alternatively,a sliding door may be provided at the top of the drum if preferred. Theseparator also includes a pair of circular side discs 26 which enclosethe sides of the drum. The side discs 26 each have a circular slot 28formed in their inwardly facing surface adjacent the periphery of eachof the discs. The slots are arranged to receive slideably the side edgesof the drum 16 to enable the discs to rotate in relation to the fixeddrum. By way of example, the drum 16 may be formed from sheet material3/16 of an inch thick and the slots 28 may be one-fourth of an inch deepby one-fourth of an inch wide.

The side discs 26 are secured to each other by means of a plurality ofdivider panels 30, described below, which are releasably secured to theside discs. When the side discs and the divider panels are securedtogether they form a unitary rigid structure which is supported andguided by and is rotatable in relation to the fixed drum 16. If desired,the entire structure may be braced further by means of a supporting rod29 which is secured to the upper ends of the supports 14 and whichpasses through a central hole formed in each of the side discs 26.

The interior of the drum is divided into a plurality of compartments bya number of the divider panels 30 which are disposed radially within thedrum. Each of the panels 30 spans the distance between the side discs 26and is connected to the side discs 26 so that the discs 26 and panels 30can rotate in unison as a unitary structure, thus enabling each of thecompartments to be rotated in succession past the door 22 for selectiveaccess to the compartments. Rotation of the compartments is facilitatedby providing one or more holes 32 in at least one of the end walls 26through which the user may conveniently grasp one of the end walls.

Among the features of the invention is the manner in which the dividerpanels 30 are mounted to enable the dimensions of each of thecompartments to be varied as desired. To this end, one or more of thepanels 30 is movably mounted to the side discs 26 by means of lugs 34secured to the side edges of each movable panel 30. Each of the lugs 34has a member, such as wing screw 35, which extends through an arcuateslot 36 formed in each of the end walls 26. In the embodiment shown,each movable panel 30 has four such lugs 34 and associated slots 36. Theinner ends of the panels 30 are secured and guided by inner lugs 34received in inner arcuate slots 36 .and outer lugs 34 and correspondingslots 36 which cooperate in proximity to the periphery of the side discs26. A washer 38 preferably is interposed between each lug 34 and theinner surface of its associated side disc 26. With this arrangement,each movable panel may be positioned angularly within the drum and inrelation to its adjacent panels to vary the dimensions of adjacentcompartments. They may be secured in the desired position by tighteningthe screws 35. As discussed above, when the wing screws 35 aretightened, the side discs 26 and divider panels are secured in a rigidunitary manner so that they may be rotated in unison in relation to thefixed drum.

It should be understood that the foregoing description of the inventionis intended merely to be illustrative thereof and that other embodimentsand modifica- Having thus described the invention what I desire to claimand secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A storage device comprising:

a frame;

a cylindrical drum secured to said frame, said drum having open sides;

a pair of circular side discs enclosing said open side of said drum,said discs having circular grooves formed therein at their inwardlyfacing surfaces, said grooves being dimensioned to rotatably receive theedges of said drum defining said sides thereof, thereby to enable saidside discs to be rotated in relation to said drum;

a plurality of divider panels within said drum and connected only tosaid side discs to rigidify said side discs and divider panels and toenable said rigidified side discs and divider panels to be rotated inunison in relation to said drum, said divider panels separating theinterior of said frum into a plural ity of compartments, said dividerpanels comprising the sole connection between said discs;

means mounting each of said divider panels for limitedrotationalmovement individually and about the central axis of said drumto enable the dimensions of said compartments to be varied; 1

means forming an access opening in said dru whereby the compartmentsdisposed interiorally of said device may be rotated successively pastsaid access opening.

2. A storage device comprising:

a frame;

a cylindrical drum secured to said frame, said drum having open sides;

a pair of circular side discs enclosing said open side of said drum,said discs having circular grooves formed therein at their inwardlyfacing surfaces, said grooves being dimensioned to rotatably receive theedges of said drum defining said sides thereof, thereby to enable saidside discs to be rotated in relation to said drum;

a plurality of divider panels within said drum and connected to saidside discs to rigidify said side discs and divider panels and to enablesaid rigidified side discs and divider panels to be rotated in unison inrelation to said drum, said divider panels separating the interior ofsaid drum into a plurality of compartments; I

said divider panels being mounted for limited rotational movement aboutthe central axis of said drum and in relation to said side discs bymeans comprising:

means for supporting the innermost end of each of said movable dividerpanels for pivotal movement about the central axis of the said drum;

means forming an arcuate slot in at least one of said end walls radiallyoutwardly of the location where said innermost end of said dividerpanels are supported for pivotal movement; and

screw means extending through said arcuate slot and being connected tosaid movable divider panels,

said screw means being adapted to guide the radially outward end of saiddivider panels in an arcuate path about the central acis of said drum;and

means for tightening said screw means to secure said panels to said sidediscs.

3. A'device as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

4. A'device as defined in claim 3 further comprising:

means forming at least one finger hole in at least one of said endwalls. 5. A device as defined in claim 4 further comprising:

each of said separators: being movably mounted within said device.

1. A storage device comprising: a frame; a cylindrical drum secured tosaid frame, said drum having open sides; a pair of circular side discsenclosing said open side of said drum, said discs having circulargrooves formed therein at their inwardly facing surfaces, saId groovesbeing dimensioned to rotatably receive the edges of said drum definingsaid sides thereof, thereby to enable said side discs to be rotated inrelation to said drum; a plurality of divider panels within said drumand connected only to said side discs to rigidify said side discs anddivider panels and to enable said rigidified side discs and dividerpanels to be rotated in unison in relation to said drum, said dividerpanels separating the interior of said frum into a plurality ofcompartments, said divider panels comprising the sole connection betweensaid discs; means mounting each of said divider panels for limitedrotational movement individually and about the central axis of said drumto enable the dimensions of said compartments to be varied; meansforming an access opening in said drum whereby the compartments disposedinteriorally of said device may be rotated successively past said accessopening.
 2. A storage device comprising: a frame; a cylindrical drumsecured to said frame, said drum having open sides; a pair of circularside discs enclosing said open side of said drum, said discs havingcircular grooves formed therein at their inwardly facing surfaces, saidgrooves being dimensioned to rotatably receive the edges of said drumdefining said sides thereof, thereby to enable said side discs to berotated in relation to said drum; a plurality of divider panels withinsaid drum and connected to said side discs to rigidify said side discsand divider panels and to enable said rigidified side discs and dividerpanels to be rotated in unison in relation to said drum, said dividerpanels separating the interior of said drum into a plurality ofcompartments; said divider panels being mounted for limited rotationalmovement about the central axis of said drum and in relation to saidside discs by means comprising: means for supporting the innermost endof each of said movable divider panels for pivotal movement about thecentral axis of the said drum; means forming an arcuate slot in at leastone of said end walls radially outwardly of the location where saidinnermost end of said divider panels are supported for pivotal movement;and screw means extending through said arcuate slot and being connectedto said movable divider panels, said screw means being adapted to guidethe radially outward end of said divider panels in an arcuate path aboutthe central acis of said drum; and means for tightening said screw meansto secure said panels to said side discs.
 3. A device as defined inclaim 2 further comprising: each of said movable divider panels having apair of radially spaced screw means engageable with each side edge ofeach of said divider panels; and means forming an arcuate slot in eachof said side discs in radially spaced relation on said side discs toreceive said screw means and to guide said screw means and movabledivider panels in limited annular movement about the central axis ofsaid drum.
 4. A device as defined in claim 3 further comprising: meansforming at least one finger hole in at least one of said end walls.
 5. Adevice as defined in claim 4 further comprising: each of said separatorsbeing movably mounted within said device.